Meet this week's #GLBride Raven, who walked down the aisle dressed in our Maya gown! Raven tied the knot in a mesmerizing outdoor wedding at Sunset Ranch in Hawaii. In this interview, she shares the cherished moments and romantic ambiance that made her wedding day an unforgettable tropical dream! As told by Raven:
A moment of your wedding day will you never forget?
A moment of my wedding I’ll never forget is taking a moment to look into the crowd during dinner. I allowed myself this moment to soak it in and acknowledge, all of these people love my husband and me so much, they took days off of work to travel to Hawaii to celebrate our special day.
One thing you wish you knew as a new bride? What advice would you give to future brides?
It goes by so fast. Everyone says this, but you won’t understand until the day comes and goes. Enjoy it. Be present. Don’t sweat the small details because it literally will not matter in the end.
Besides our bar being a Volkswagen van (so freaking cool), our seat assignments were shot glasses with our 11 month old golden retriever puppy on it saying, “Drinks On Me! Love, Oakley”
I pinned Galia’s Maya gown 5 times on Pinterest over the course of 1-2.5 years not realizing it was the same dress on different women. It flattered and accentuated the women in different and beautiful ways. Finally, when I finally found the gown I tracked down a store that carried Galia. Come to find out, Kinsley James Couture Bridal was having a trunk show for Galia Lahav on the same day as my appointment. It was totally meant to be a moment. When I tried on the dress, my insides warmed up and I got butterflies! It was a feeling unlike I’ve ever felt. Not even when my husband proposed! Kidding, of course.
How did it feel when you put on your dress the day of the wedding? What was everyone's reaction to the dress?
Every day leading up to the wedding, I was most excited to wear my dress. I make jokes that I literally want to be buried in it. It makes me feel like the most beautiful person in the world. I love my body in it and I love the way I feel in it. The compliments I received all night were always about my dress. Not about the wedding, or the ceremony, or the little details I stressed about. It was my dress!
What was your favourite part of the wedding to plan/you were most looking forward to?
I was most looking forward to trying on dresses!!!! I grew up watching 4 Weddings, Say Yes to the Dress, Gypsy Wedding, all the 2000s TLC shows. I was excited to feel all the feelings those brides felt through the tv. The team at KJ made the whole experience so fun, comfortable, and exciting. I wish I could try on my dress for the first time all over again.
How did you meet your husband? How did he propose?
We met through mutual friends in high school. We’ve known each other about 8 or 9 years and we’ve been together off and on for 7 years. Two young, immature, and dumb 16-year-olds who fell in and out of love many times. He proposed a private lookout overlooking the beach and our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara. It had been overcast the entire week but the moment he proposed, it was pink cotton candy skies. It was so dreamy, private, and intimate.
How did you find working with the team at Galia Lahav?
The customer service is unmatched! My dress had a hand stitched tag with my name on it!! I want to get married again just to wear more Galia Lahav gowns.
How many dresses did you try on before you found it?
As I mentioned earlier, the dress was pinned on my Pinterest several times over the course of 1-2.5 years. I wanted to allow myself to try on other dresses and styles before trying on the Maya dress. I knew in my heart I wanted a Galia dress. I told everyone this. My friends, my family, even other brides who offered advice for my wedding. I loved her style. The appliqués. The sexiness. Everything about it checked off every box. I tried on about 4 dresses before allowing myself to try on the Maya. I really wanted to give myself a fair chance to love other dresses! But the moment I tried on the Maya, I knew. It was the last and final dress I tried on.
